Nihao! We’re live at Auto China 2024 in Beijing, where Geely has just unveiled the Galaxy Starship concept. This massive SUV is a preview of the Galaxy sub-brand’s upcoming flagship, as well as a range of AI technologies that will soon be incorporated into the existing lineup.
Continuing to feature Galaxy’s Expanding Cosmos of Light design language, the Starship features slim LED headlights, an illuminated grilleless front fascia and full-width taillights. There are also a number of typical concept car styling features, including massive, intricate multi-spoke alloy wheels, a “smart light curtain”, a panoramic glass roof, an active rear spoiler, a large rear diffuser and even something called “Dynamic”. Iceland (we can already hear Apple’s legal department working on an answer…).
But the highlight of the Starship is of course the huge double doors, which allow unhindered access to the unusual interior. You will find two front seats, a separate middle seat and a couch-like bench in the rear. What’s interesting is that the aforementioned middle seat not only reclines flat, but can even be extended out of the car to allow for last-mile transportation.
Additional features include an in-house Flyme sound system with an output of over 2,000 watts and multimodal AI-controlled voice control with WeChat integration. The latter is expected to make its way into the Galaxy E8 electric sedan in the second quarter of the year via an over-the-air update.
Additionally, the Starship is equipped with a customizable hologram avatar that appears on the driver display and even an external display on the doors. It will also offer integration with AI phones (via Chairman Li Shufu’s smartphone-making subsidiary Meizu), smart glasses and drones.
Under the skin, the Starship is based on Geely’s new Global Intelligent New Energy Architecture (GEA), which supports all-electric, range extender, plug-in hybrid and methanol technologies. This includes the next-generation NordThor PHEV drive, which is said to offer a total range of over 2,000 km.
It will also feature the company’s new proprietary Aegis Dagger lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries as well as “11-to-1” electric motors that are said to have an efficiency of 90.04%. Additionally, the car features an 800-volt architecture that reduces the use of silicon carbide by more than 75%.
The GEA platform also uses what is said to be the world’s first “AI digital chassis” that integrates the powertrain, steer-by-wire and autonomous driving systems. This enables lightning-fast responses of just four milliseconds, compared to 100 ms for a human driver. Geely managed to test this technology by performing the world’s first autonomous drift with a Galaxy E8 prototype.
Geely hasn’t confirmed when the production Starship will enter production, but it’s understood that some of the car’s less outlandish features will find their way into future Galaxy models – some of which may be available in Malaysia under the Proton badge Tobe offered.
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